Tupac Shakur Gets His Own Day in Oakland

Tupac will be immortalized in Oakland. Okayplayer reports that the city has declared June 16, the late rapper’s birthday, as Tupac Shakur Day. The decision was spurred on by hip-hop advocate LeRoy McCarthy who helped draft the language of the resolution.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf issued a proclamation that proclaims June 16, 2016 as Tupac Shakur Day and cites his contributions to the community as a reason for the honor. It also acknowledges that while Tupac was not born in Oakland, he considered the city his home.

“Although Tupac was born in Harlem, New York City in 1971, later lived in Baltimore, Maryland, and in Marin City, California, he cherished his time in Oakland as his home, stating that he got his ‘Game’ from Oakland,” the proclamation from the Mayor’s office says. “Tupac once said: ‘…I give all my love to Oakland, if I’ma claim somewhere I’ma claim Oakland.”

The declaration of Tupac Shakur Day comes on the same day (June 15) as Sprite’s announcement that Tupac would be featured in their upcoming Obey Your Thirst collection. Lyrics from the rapper’s songs “Keep Ya Head Up,” “When We Ride” and “Wake Me When I’m Free” will appear on the brand’s limited edition cans due out later this month.

“It’s important for us to have an artist like [Tupac] because of what he’s represented to music and the art form. Having a heavyweight like him is important to the program,” Bobby Oliver, the director of Coca-Cola North America, said.

J. Cole and Missy Elliott are the other artists whose lyrics will be featured in Sprite’s 2016 collection. Last year’s campaign featured lyrics from Drake, Rakim, Nas and the Notorious B.I.G.